


Once Bitten Twice Shy

by the_chaotic_lesbian



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Bisexual Mike Wheeler, Gay Will Byers, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Pre-Relationship, Will Byers Loves Mike Wheeler
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-21
Updated: 2020-01-21
Packaged: 2021-02-27 20:54:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,339
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22349872
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/the_chaotic_lesbian/pseuds/the_chaotic_lesbian
Summary: The last thing Will expected when he's forced out of Hawkins is to run into old acquaintance Joey Kim, re-sparking feelings he had kept buried for awhile.But while Will thinks he's finally found his place in the world, it all comes crashing down again when he goes to Hawkins for the break.
Relationships: Will Byers/Joey Kim, Will Byers/Mike Wheeler
Comments: 4
Kudos: 33





	Once Bitten Twice Shy

**Author's Note:**

> This is entirely because of the byler discord server I blame them and you can blame them too. I'm publishing this now before I read the comic so I have deniability if I characterize Joey wrong, don't @ me. 
> 
> This first chapter is short but it'll pick up I promise. Enjoy!

Will hates it here. 

He had always been against moving. Yes, he hates Hawkins, hates what he sees in the buildings and in the people, but he didn't want to  _ leave.  _ Not when it meant leaving his friends behind. 

Because now he's started here, at a new school,  _ alone.  _ Eleven - Jane, he has to call her Jane - is being homeschooled to catch up, and Jonathan's graduated and off to college. It isn't fair, why does he have to start the school year off alone? 

He's contemplating this as he walks through the hallways, head ducked down low. Being the new kid is almost as bad as being Zombie Boy, with how he's ostracized. The looks he's gotten so far have rivaled the ones he got back in Hawkins, and it only makes him shrink into himself more. 

"...iam. Will!" 

Will glances up in confusion, tilting his head to scan the hall at the sound of his name. 

He's met with a big smile, red-rimmed glasses framing brown eyes, with windswept black hair and a familiar brown bomber jacket. 

"Joey?"

"Will!" Joey exclaims once again, eyes lighting up, "oh my God, I can't believe you're here! Did you move from Hawkins? What a coincidence, right?" 

Will's head is spinning, and he shakes it to clear his thoughts, "I didn't know you moved here," he says finally. 

And, God, seeing him - a boy that Will thinks he could've loved, once upon a time - gives him such whiplash. 

He's grown into his appearance for sure, evolving from the cute nerdy look he had in Hawkins a year and a half ago into something…  _ hot.  _

_ No. Bad Will. Stop being gay.  _

And, okay, so maybe his memories weren't the best, but he does remember Joey being super genuine, which is… more than he can say about his own friends at the moment. Genuine about loving art. Genuine about his passions. Genuine about…  _ Will. _

Joey grins, and he's beaming, nearly towering over Will. Every boy towers over him, this isn't new. 

"Yeah, we moved here last summer. Something about the big city life being more desirable? Beats me." He winks at Will, nudging his shoulder playfully, "parents, right?" 

The city life is definitely  _ not  _ the reason they moved here, but Will doesn't have the energy to explain that. "Yeah," he agrees. 

It's the middle of the day, and class will be starting soon, which is probably why Joey nudges his shoulder again, adjusting his glasses. "We gotta catch up," he says, still smiling, "I mean, we have so much to talk about. You're gonna join AV right? The club here is so nice, and you'd be a perfect fit." 

Will flushes at the thought, giving a shrug. "I didn't think about it," he says weakly, even though it's the truth. Honestly, he wasn't sure he even could, if he could stomach the thought. After all, he had promised Mike that joining another party wasn't possible. Did the AV club fall under the same rules? 

"Well, you better," Joey declares, and he smiles again, something more sincere, "come to the meeting after school today, we can talk more. I better see you there, okay?" Without waiting for an answer, he spins around, leaving Will standing confused in the middle of the hallway as the bell rings. 

~~~~~~

It had taken a phone call and a bit of convincing, but at the end of the school day, Will's wandering the empty halls, pushing open the door to the AV club with more than a little hesitation. 

Inside, a boy sits atop a counter fidgeting with a camera. There's another door labelled "dark room" off to the side, which Will remembers from when Jonathan was in high school. A small table is in the middle of the room, and two more boys and a girl sit at it. One of the boys and the girl are arm-wrestling, the other boy cheering them on. And standing over the table, camcorder set up and filming, is Joey, his face hidden by the camcorder. 

"And they're neck and neck! Mitchie’s got brute strength but it's nothing compared to Jay's legendary stamina! It appears to be at a standstill… but wait! Mitchie slipped! Jay wins!" The last couple words are punctuated as the girl slams the guy's hand against the table, releasing a triumphant "ha!" 

"I think that's one for the records," the girl - Jay - notes, turning her head to glance at Joey, "what do you think, Jo?" 

"Oh definitely," Joey agrees, and then he's standing to his full height and then warm brown eyes - Will thinks brown may be his favorite eye color, honestly - meet his own. "Will!" Joey exclaims, and suddenly  _ all  _ eyes are on him, and he shrinks at the attention. 

"Um, hi?" 

Joey all but abandons his camcorder, sprinting to the door to grab at Will's hand, shaking it eagerly. "Oh my God, I'm so glad you came!" He releases his grip, and Will's sure he's openly gaping at him. 

"Guys, this is William, the boy I was telling you about," Joey says, spinning to face the room, "Will, this is the AV club! Best club in school, if you ask me." He winks, and the announcer boy laughs. 

Will's never been good with people, especially once thrown into the spotlight. Cheeks flushed red, he manages a small wave. Doesn't Joey remember how shy he is? 

"So this is the famous Will," Jay rolls her eyes before standing. Her caramel-colored hair is braided in twin French tails, trailing down the sides of her head down to her waist. She offers her hand, and Will tenderly takes it to shake, hesitant. "I'm Jessica, but you can call me Jay." 

“Jo really has talked a lot about you,” the other boy laughs, standing to join Jay. “I’m Michael, cept everybody mostly calls me Mitchie.”

“And Will takes the stage!” The announcer boy cries out, disrupting any thought Will might’ve had about Joey talking about him. “What an entrance!” The guy stands, towering over everyone - even Joey, who seems to be about the same height as super-tall Mike - and gives Will a mischievous grin. “Alex. It’s a pleasure.” 

How does one even respond to any of this? Will’s never been the social type, and he’s sure he’s making quite a spectacle of himself, staring off into the abyss with a dumbfounded expression. He’s completely forgotten about the fifth person in the room, too focused on the ones practically crowding him, until another voice shocks him out of his own stupor. 

“Jo, I trust your judgement, but are you sure he’s Hellfire material?” The boy who had been sitting messing with a camera when he first walked in now stands, sliding off the counter. He wears a frown just as well as he wears a leather jacket, dark eyes giving Will a scrutinizing look. 

“Oh yeah definitely,” Joey confirms, which… does not help how confused Will is. Hellfire? What’s hellfire? “Give him time. My token.” 

“You know the rules Jo,” Mitchie chides, and everybody in the room holds our their palms. Will glances at Joey quizzically while Joey just laughs, digging out four quarters and handing them out like candy. 

“And don’t worry about spoilsport over there,” Jay says, giving the mysterious boy a look before offering Will a smile, “Nathan can be gloomy sometimes but he’ll warm up to you soon enough. Joey has the best judgement calls.” 

“So what are we waiting for?” Mitchie butts in, and he’s also smiling, albeit a cocky grin versus Jay’s more friendly one, “I demand a rematch! Can’t let down my fans after all.” 

“What fans?” Jay deadpans, and Alex laughs something hearty. 

A hand touches Will’s shoulder and he flinches for a minute before turning his head. It’s just Joey, still smiling, something unreadable in his eyes. 

“I know, I know, they’re a bit much, but I think you do fit in here,” he says, tone warm, “it may be a bit too early to tell, but… welcome to the AV Club, Will.” 


End file.
